Sir Alex Ferguson backed into a corner as United flop at Fulham thanks to Bobby Zamora

Long walk back: Ferguson has much to ponder as he trudges back to the dressing room

Two men cast their eyes to the turf at the final whistle and trudged towards the holly-decked cottage in the corner, lost in their own very different problems.

One was Bobby Zamora, unable to relax and enjoy the day he tore Manchester United apart because he will not forgive and forget the insults once spat at him by a few of the Fulham fans now singing his name.

The other was Sir Alex Ferguson, chewing furiously on his gum as he wrestled with the puzzle of how to defend the Barclays Premier League title without a defence.

It is eight years since United lost five league games before Christmas. League One trio Southampton, Leeds and Charlton were still in the top flight back then as Arsenal won the title ahead of Liverpool.

Ferguson’s team trailed in 10 points behind the champions in third, ending the season with nine defeats.

Noises from within the United camp after this defeat were laden with doom.

‘The players are feeling a little bit sorry for themselves,’ said Ferguson. ‘There was fragility at the back. I hope it doesn’t cost us the league.’ He did not have the audacity to argue with the result. It actually flattered his team.

I did it again: Murphy celebrates extending his fine scoring form against United

Were it not for a couple of decent saves from Tomasz Kuszczak there could have been far greater embarrassment on the banks of the River Thames and perhaps greater consequences.

Ferguson made the bizarre decision to push his only senior defender, Patrice Evra, forward into a wing-back role and operate with a back three of Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and rookie full back Ritchie de Laet.

Ferguson probably feared the worst. His defensive trio suffered horribly at the hands of Zamora, who was supported well by Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and Zoltan Gera, as Danny Murphy ran the game from midfield, where United sorely missed Fletcher’s bite.

Asked after the game to name the best opponents his team had faced this season, Fulham manager Roy Hodgson plumped for Chelsea and Wigan. The Big Four no longer instil the same fear. United have lost twice in nine months at Craven Cottage.

‘We have shed the inhibitions we might have had,’ said Hodgson, who refused to comment on Ferguson’s depleted squad.

No pushover: Zamora once again proved his overall value to Fulham

He is too modest. United were missing Ryan Giggs but finished with £80million of attacking talent on display in the form of Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia.

‘Their strike force is still very potent,’ said Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer, who fielded a couple of long-range efforts but was rarely tested. ‘It wasn’t until kick-off that I actually saw who was playing. We’d prepared to face their strongest side. But you still have to perform.’

Murphy fired Fulham ahead. Having stolen the ball from Paul Scholes in midfield, he was invited to shoot by a hesitant Carrick. Somehow he seemed to give Kuszczak the eye from 25 yards and swept the ball into the bottom corner.

All smiles: Goalscorers Zamora (right) and Murphy (centre) are joined by Zoltan Gera

Fulham’s second, just after the break, killed the visitors. Duff charged into the space behind wing back Evra, clipped a high cross to the back post and Dempsey climbed above Fletcher, won it cleanly in the air and Zamora thumped home his 10th of the season.

It was the third, however, which typified the game. Murphy took a free-kick near the halfway line and clipped it into Zamora’s airspace. He won it easily ahead of Carrick, brought it down while holding off his marker and rolled it back to Duff, who drove in a half-volley.

Fulham fans celebrated their biggest win over United for more than a century by singing Zamora’s name but he refused to acknowledge them until he was almost out of sight, down the tunnel. Then he turned briefly, quickly clapped his hands above his head and was gone.

Earlier that day he had given an interview and sympathised with Eric Cantona for launching his infamous kung-fu kick at a foul-mouthed supporter at Crystal Palace.

Zamora is finding it hard to move on from the taunts of the past but his team-mates have always appreciated his efforts.

‘He was exceptional and he took real control of the game,’ said Schwarzer. ‘If he keeps playing like this it will be difficult not to take a look at him for England.’

Hodgson’s team have lost only once in 11 Premier League games and Andy Johnson will return to full training tomorrow after 10 weeks out with a groin problem.

It is United, though, who desperately need reinforcements. Ferguson says Gary Neville has a chance of being fit to play Hull on Sunday and Wes Brown hopes to make the game against Wigan, two days later.

‘We were trying our best to stay in there,’ said United assistant manager Mike Phelan. ‘At the moment there’s a bit of damage but it’s not the end of the world.

‘We’re annoyed with ourselves but there’s a second half to a season and I’m sure by then we’ll have a solid back four. We’ll have to come good in the second half of the season. There’s nothing new in that.’.